Yellowmouth grouperin North Carolina
Mycteroperca interstitialis
The rule in North Carolina
Federal rule (South Atlantic federal waters). North Carolina lists no rule of its own for yellowmouth grouper, so the council's rule applies in state waters too.
Counts toward an aggregate limit: 3-grouper/tilefish aggregate.
Measured as total length (TL): snout to the tip of the tail, with the tail lobes squeezed together.
SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026· checked Open
North Carolina state record
23 lb 3 oz, Off Calabash, 2024. NCDMF State Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-22
How to tell it
Yellow mouth corners, tan-bronze mottle; scamp look-alike. More on the yellowmouth grouper page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Yellowmouth grouper in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a yellowmouth grouper in North Carolina and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appYellowmouth grouper in North Carolina: the questions
What is the size limit for yellowmouth grouper in North Carolina?
20 in total length. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, with the tail lobes squeezed together.
How many yellowmouth grouper can you keep in North Carolina?
1 per person per day (scamp or yellowmouth combined), within 3-grouper aggregate. It counts toward an aggregate: 3-grouper/tilefish aggregate.
When is yellowmouth grouper season in North Carolina?
May 1 – Dec 31 (spawning closure Jan 1 – Apr 30). As of Sep 21, 2026 it is open.
What is the North Carolina record yellowmouth grouper?
23 lb 3 oz, Off Calabash (2024).
How current is this North Carolina yellowmouth grouper rule?
Source: SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026, last checked Sep 16, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.